A small island off the coast of Portugal. Private. Completely secluded and fully secured.
Men argue over it, making their offers. Money, business shares…
My eyes are on Koskos, on the back of his head, burning steel into his skull, trying to read his thoughts.
The island is traded for a very large, central building in the middle of Manhattan.
The next item is brought onto the stage. A rare, vintage sword.
The auction continues. A shipping container of explosives traded for drugs. A mansion in the Bahamas, traded for a company.
I wait, but still my father doesn’t show up.
My heart sinks when the next item is brought onto the stage. A girl, tied to a chair, a sack over her head. Fuck. I hate these people.
“And now, we have this beautiful creature.” The auctioneer gestures to the girl, and one of his assistants pulls the sack off her head.
I want to vomit.
Georgie looks terrified, but she looks doped up and out of it, too. Her eyes swim in and out of focus, and her head keeps dropping as she fights for consciousness. Her mouth is gagged, her hair is a tangled, wild mess. They’ve dressed her in an evening gown, but it looks dirty and torn as though she was fighting them every step of the way.
Her eyes are wild as they dart over the faces of the men gawking at her beauty that still shines through despite her disheveled appearance.
“I have a yacht, fully equipped with staff,” someone shouts.
The auctioneer looks towards Ali Koskos, who has moved right to the edge of the stage near Georgie, but he shakes his head. He doesn’t want a yacht.
And he’s her fucking ‘owner’.HeownsGeorgie in this exchange.
I can’t fucking believe this. He’s the one who took her?
Where the fuck is my father? What the fuck is going on?
I shove people aside, storming towards him, rage, a ferocious desire to tear him limb from limb, pulsing through me like fire.
“Ali Koskos,” I say calmly, my voice not giving away even a hint of what’s going on inside my body. I have one hand in my pocket, and I cock my head to the side as I look him over. “Is there something specific you were hoping to gain this evening, with regards to your trade?”
He turns to face me, his eyes like gravel running over my skin as he looks me up and down.
“Yes, Kristopher Ilyn. I want territory,” he muses, folding his arms across his chest.
“Any particular territory?” I ask, knowing I’d give anything for her, that her value is limitless to me. That I’d trade my life if it meant she would be safe.
“Are you interested in trading fromyourterritory? Now that is something I’d be happy to consider,” Ali says, his words thick and slow.
“Perhaps,” I reply, my tone void of emotion.
“State your offer,” he says.
I swallow, my throat dry as I glance back towards Georgie. My body becomes even more tense when her wild eyes lock with mine and her brows shoot up in confusion. She’s crying. And I want nothing more than to lift her from the chair she’s tied to and carry her out of here, cradled against my chest.
I blow a huff of air through my nose and drag my eyes off her.
“Rio Vista. I have several warehouses there, somewhat secluded, and an excellent location for most operations to function away from the watchful eye of the law.”
He smirks, one corner of his mouth curling upwards. His dark eyes are narrowed as he stares at me. “Near New River Road? There’s nothing out there,” he scoffs.
“That’s what most believe. And as I said, that’s what makes the territory so valuable. There’s even a private landing strip, making deliveries that much easier.” My blood is pooling with desperation, but you wouldn’t know it, looking at me. I act as calm as a flat lake on a windless day.
